If you have a novel or poetry book, or a poetry or music cd or dvd that you're interested in having us review, please email us your query to thetorontoquarterly@hotmail.com
Type "Review Request" in the subject box.

You may also submit book and music reviews to be considered for publication.

Send us your artwork and photography. Send in high resolution (jpeg file). We will consider all artwork submitted for the cover of TTQ8.

All submissions should include a short biography (5-6 lines max) stating town/city you reside in, previous publishing accomplishments, educational background if so desired. Please do not send us a novel about yourself. Make it interesting and promote your books and/or webpages if desired.

Please, only one submission per issue. All rights and copyright upon publication in TTQ8 remains with the author. Each contributor to TTQ8 will receive a free e-book of TTQ8 as payment. It will be emailed to the contributor as a pdf file.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Tuesday, September 13
6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
CJ’s Cafe, 2416 Lakeshore Rd W, Oakville
(On the south side of Lakeshore, just east of Bronte Road, next to Lick’s. Map here.)

Reading your work aloud to an audience is one of the greatest experiences of a writer’s life. Come and give it a shot! Spots on the reading list are open to anyone who has ever published a piece on Quick Brown Fox (or you have a piece in the queue waiting for publication) or who’s taken any of my “Intensive,” "Intermediate,” “Extreme” or “Advanced” creative writing courses.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Hi Brian,
My first novel, The Unraveling of Abby Settel, is being published by a small US publisher and is scheduled to be released August 22.

My other project is a cozy mystery series that I am co-authoring with a friend under the pseudonym Lucy Arlington. We have a three-book contract with Berkley Prime Crime. The first one, Buried in a Book, is scheduled for release in February 2012.

I am currently figuring out how to best market the books, something that is taking a lot of time away from my writing! But, as you know, that's all part of the business these days. All the social networking stuff takes so much time, even for books that aren't out yet! I've printed up bookmarks and am mailing them out and trying to get them in bookstores and libraries. And I'm finding the target audience for my Abby book.

The cozy mystery series already has a strong fan base, because of my co-author and also the genre, but I'm still spending a lot of time Facebooking as Lucy Arlington and joining in on the Yahoo groups.

Hi Brian,
I just wanted to tell you that the first short story I ever wrote, "Last Roll of the Dice,” snagged second spot in the Crime Writers of Canada Bony Pete short story contest. The CWC Bloody Words conference took place in Victoria, BC, at the beginning of June and it was such a wonderful moment when my name was called. You gave us some handouts on short stories last fall in the "How to Build Your Story" workshop in Guelph and that gave me the idea to try a short story, and the story turned into "Last Roll of the Dice."

In other news, my paranormal mystery novel, Cheat the Hangman, should be published before year end by Imajin Books. The e-book will be first, followed by print. I’ve just seen the cover art and it’s better than I could have imagined, very spooky. My other novel, a humorous mystery, Corpse Flower, which won the 2010 Unhanged Arthur, is being considered as well.

By the way, I met John Jeneroux in Victoria after he won the 2011 Unhanged Arthur and I wish him the best and a speedy publication for his novel.
All the best,Gloria Ferris

Information about the Crime Writers' of Canada's Unhanged Arthur award for best unpublished crime novel here.

Hi, Brian.
My short story "The Chowdrys" and my narrative poem "Harry Flannigan" have been published on the British blog, How Yah Doon. See here: http://howyahdoon.blogspot.com/
Yours,Wilma Seville

Hi Brian.
I wanted to take a minute to thank you for continuing to shape the path of my writing career. At your revision workshop in Kingston last fall, I met an extremely nice woman from Ottawa who recommended that I submit a story to the Ottawa Citizen's "The Wrap." I did so and my first short story was published in February.

I also made the decision to embark upon a "Year of the Contest" as a way to try to get some results under my belt while I pursue publication of my novel. I ordered the Contest Calendar from you and started entering contests.

Since then I've had an honourable mention in the National Capital Writer's Contest, which came with publication in a really nice anthology they produced (and the story will eventually also be published in the Wrap), I won third place in the North Shore Writers' Association Contest and I'm a finalist in the West End Writers' Workshop Short Story Contest (results to be announced June 22).

See information on submitting short stories to the Ottawa Citizen's The Wrap here. Information about the West End Writers' Workshop short story contest here.

The Canadian Writers' Contest Calendar contains listings of all the annual writing contests in Canada. Because the contests listed are held annually, the Contest Calendar remains a good guide from one year to the next. Buy a copy at one of my workshops or classes or to order a copy by mail. It's now on sale for just $15 in person or $18 by post. Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Monday, June 27, 2011

Hi, Brian.
With the help of the Roncesvalles Village Historical Society, I’ll be conducting a guided tour of Roncesvalles Avenue on Saturday, July 9. We’ll visit spots that inspired scenes, characters, and stories featured in Copernicus Avenue and I’ll talk about how Roncesvalles' history and culture transformed itself into a work of fiction.

The plan is to meet at corner of Howard Park Avenue and Roncesvalles at 11 a.m. for a one-hour (okay, maybe 90-minute) stroll. I hope to see lots of people there!

Brian,
I wanted to let you know that my latest self-published novel, Served Cold, is now in print, and selling. I owe a lot to the time spent with you in your workshops and hope to attend more in the future. Now that I am back from Florida I will be looking at your schedule.
Chuck Waldronhttp://www.writebyme.ca/

Served Cold, by Chuck Waldron
Chuck Waldron has released his third novel, Served Cold. This new thriller is the story of two family patriarchs, locked in a deadly feud, where nothing less than hot-blooded vengeance will be enough. The story spans decades and reaches from the quiet countryside of rural Ontario to a tranquil artist’s studio in Tucson, Arizona. What happens in between isn’t quiet or tranquil.

For two families, a dish served cold is not on the menu. Nothing less than hot-blooded vengeance will do. A lover is killed, a family is targeted in retaliation, and a body guard goes into hiding with a newborn. A young heir, hearing the story, faces a choice: to succumb to the passion of vengeance, or forego the desire for retribution pulsing in his veins.

"It’s a tale of romance, but also of unimaginable hate, an action-filled page-turner of a novel with dramatic chase scenes, a deathbed confession, a love story, and three generations of feuding that all get started because of a stupid rivalry between two bullheaded tycoons."
~ The Record, Kitchener-Waterloo. Full review here.

Chuck Waldron has been writing short stories and novels for over twenty-five years, enjoying writing groups and workshops in Ontario, Florida, Iowa and Georgia. He is currently working on his fourth novel, a dystopic story about an investigative blogger who uncovers a terrifying secret . . . and doesn’t know what to do with his discovery.

His first novel, Tears in the Dust, is a mystery set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War in 1937. His second, Remington and the Mysterious Fedora, is a quirky fantasy, a story about what happens when a young man sits at the keyboard of an old, manual typewriter and a mysterious fedora begins to whisper an incredible story to him.
Additional information about Chuck’s novels can be found by visiting http://www.writebyme.ca/

Cecilia-Anca Popescu left Romania in 1993, shortly after the Revolution. Today she is managing a chemical lab in her country of adoption. Burdened with the nostalgia of every Romanian immigrant, Cecilia-Anca Popescu writes in her poems about the drama of the expat and about her life experiences, whose mysteries could only be solved in the crucible of the creative act.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

﻿﻿An editor & an agent tell all
Saturday, December 3, 2011
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Oakville Central Library, 120 Navy Street, Oakville. (Good all-day parking on Water Street, just north of the rear of the library, across from the Burloak Canoe Club. Map here.)

If you've ever dreamed of becoming a published author, this workshop is for you. We’ll cover everything from getting started to getting an agent, from getting your short pieces published to finding a book publisher, from writing a query letter to writing what the publishers want. Bring your questions. Come and get ready to be published!

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing teacher for more than 25 years. He has helped many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors.

Ali McDonald specializes in children's literature of all kinds, ranging from novelty board books, picture books, early readers, and chapter books, to middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction. She enjoys working primarily with debut authors, but also has the distinguished pleasure of co-representing big stars of Canadian literature, including Mariko Tamaki and David Glimour, in their kidlit works. Ali is open to anything, building her list on strong voices with original stories.

Submissions:
You do not need an agent to submit to us, but you must query us first. All queries should include a synopsis no longer than six double-spaced pages. We only accept e-mail queries. Please make sure you indicate in your query that you wish to submit to the Paranormal or Urban Fantasy line.
Queries should be sent to: editors@imajinnbooks.com

Supernatural, paranormal, fantasy, and futuristic romances:We are looking for fast-paced, action-packed romances involving witches, vampires, werewolves, shape shifters, and futuristic in space or on other planet. All novels should be atmospheric according to the chosen subject. Make sure the supernatural, paranormal, fantasy or futuristic element is strong enough to carry the story. If the element can be lifted out of the story and a publishable story still exists, the element is not strong enough. Also, in the case of vampires, werewolves, witches, or shape shifters, the hero or heroine must be the vampire, werewolf, etc., and these story lines should have a dark, eerie overtone. We do not publish young adult novels or story lines that revolve around young adult characters.

The developing romantic relationship between the hero and the heroine is the focus of the story. The stories may be told from both points of view, and the hero may be the lead character of the story. Although books written in the third person are preferred, first person will be considered. Sensuality may range from mild to highly sensual.

The heroine must be a strong woman in her mid-twenties or older. We do NOT publish books with teenage or college-age heroes and heroines. The heroine must be capable of confronting and conquering any threats of physical and/or psychological danger she faces in the story. She is always a match for the hero who should be bold and brash—an Alpha male—and he may or may not represent danger. The ending must be a happy one, with everlasting romance the reward for triumphing over the darkness or evil faced in the story.
Length: 70,000 to 90,000 words

Urban Fantasy Guidelines
We publish all Urban Fantasy story lines. We expect these story lines to be set up for a continuing series with the same characters, although we will consider single book story lines. We prefer that the main protagonist be a "kick ass" heroine with the same traits as our romance heroines, as listed above. We will, however, consider male protagonists as the lead character. We expect UF storylines to be on the order of novels written by authors such as Keri Arthur, Kelley Armstrong, Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Simon R. Green, etc.
Length: 70,000 to 90,000 words

Regency romance guidelines:
We are currently looking for fast-paced Regency romances. The Regency period is from 1811-1820, when the Prince Regent assumed his late father’s throne. Regency novels should be set during this period, although certain Regency themes such as the Napoleonic War allow Regency novels to be set back as far as 1800. Only novels set during this period will be considered.

Regency novels owe much to the works of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. They are often described as "comedies of manners," but tones from light and comedic to dark and gothic, even paranormal, will be considered.

The book must be Regency in tone. That means the author needs to be familiar with the history, the society, the customs, and the mores of the period. The author must know the levels of the peerage and how each is addressed. Regency readers are very savvy and know right away when someone has made a faux pas in a novel. For example, they know an illegitimate son will never inherit a title.

Sensuality: From the traditional Regency’s "close the bedroom door" to higher levels of sensuality will be considered. Just remember that the most important aspect of a Regency novel is the romance. The developing romantic relationship between the hero and the heroine must be the focus of the story.

The stories may be told from both points of view, and the hero may be the lead character of the story. Although books written in the third person are preferred, first person will be considered.

The heroine must be a strong woman, capable of confronting and conquering any threats of physical and/or psychological danger she faces in the story. She is always a match for the hero. The ending must be a happy one, with everlasting romance the reward for triumphing over the conflicts faced in the story. Although we prefer Alpha male heroes, Beta heroes are acceptable, but they must still be bold and a match for the heroine. The biggest problem we see with Beta heroes is that they are so nice you know that the heroine will end up with him in the end, so you lose the romantic suspense of whether or not they’ll be able to overcome their conflicts and achieve happily ever after status.

Secondary characters and subplots are not only desired, but encouraged. Regency readers enjoy quirky secondary characters and characters strong enough to be spun off to have their own story in a future book.

Length: 50,000 TO 90,000 words.

Women's Erotica guidelines
In keeping with the nature of all books ImaJinn publishes, a story or novel appropriate for our erotica line will be, first and foremost, a romance. The main plot of the story should be the sensual development of an intimate relationship between one man and one woman, who are both heroic in stature (i.e., possessing high moral standards) and who ultimately make a commitment to each other. In general, we are not looking for multiple partner relationships, although multiple partnerships are acceptable in some storylines, such as societies where there are more men than women or vice versa, but again, these multiple partners must ultimately make a commitment to each other.

We will accept any type of erotica storyline, from contemporary to historical to paranormal, futuristic and fantasy. A successful story will be highly erotic but not pornographic. The difference is usually one of focus; erotica, like romance, seeks to involve the reader’s emotions, while pornography focuses almost entirely on the physical. We expect there to be sex involved—lots of it—but it must be part of the plot, not gratuitous. Authors are encouraged to begin with a premise that, by its nature, will put the hero and heroine in sexually charged circumstances from the beginning of the story. We don’t expect the couple to make love in the first chapter, although it is acceptable to have it in chapter one, but we do expect some lovemaking or sexually charged foreplay by chapter two. We expect that sexual scenes will be at least half or more of the story.

In general, we’re looking for stories that turn us on, not off. We want to be excited—not disgusted or bored. We don’t want stories about heavy BDSM, torture, bestiality (dogs, horses, snakes, and other real-world critters), non-sexual bodily functions ("golden showers"), pedophilia, necrophilia, cannibalism, weapons or other deadly implements being shoved into orifices, rape or anything else so kinky that it will offend our core readership. On the other hand, we understand that writing erotic stories about werewolves and aliens could lead to some interesting situations. Indeed, the paranormal element you choose could provide exactly the sort of sexual tension and eroticism these stories will require.

Regarding language, authors should think carefully about the words they use. A story doesn’t automatically become erotic when "manhood" gets changed to "cock" or "feminine core" is replaced by "pussy." They’re all still euphemisms, and the way they’re used is what matters; indeed, it can mean the difference between erotica and pornography. So authors may use whatever words they wish to name body parts and to describe actions, but keep in mind that the goal is turn the readers on—not jar them out of the story or make them laugh at inappropriate moments. (By the way, it’s perfectly acceptable to use real, official words for body parts and sex acts, too.)

Length: We’d like the word count for these stories to be at least 30,000 words, and can go as high as 90,000 words, but lengthy stories must remain highly erotic from beginning to end. We will consider novellas between 15,000 to 30,000 words. However, we emphasize that even in the shorter format, it’s essential that the story primarily be romantic.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

The East End Writers' Group presents...Plotting novels and writing short stories~ an editor & an author explain it all ~
Saturday, October 29, 2011
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
World's Biggest Bookstore, 20 Edward St, Toronto (A block north of Dundas, just west off Yonge St. Map here.)

This workshop will show you how writers plot a novel. You’ll also get the best tips on writing short stories, where to get them published and how to win contests. Best yet, you’ll see how to apply the story-building techniques you’ve learned to your own writing.

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing teacher for more than 25 years. He teaches at Ryerson University and George Brown College and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Moncton. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.

Guest speaker Lynda Simmons has published eight novels. Her most recent novel, Island Girl (from Berkley Books, a Penguin USA imprint), came out in December 2010. Lynda has built a reputation for herself as an outstanding comic novelist. Island Girl represents a departure for her in that it's a much more serious book. Set on the Toronto Islands, the novel recounts the emotionally riveting story of a 55-year-old mother, Ruby Donaldson, who fights to reunite her family as she struggles with the diagnosis of early on-set Alzheimer's and her determination to control her own future.

Before going mainstream, Lynda served her apprenticeship as an author by writing six romance novels, published by Harlequin, Silhouette and Kensington. Lynda specializes in comic novels and her presentations are known for their humour. At the workshop, she'll share her insights into plotting novels and creating a character arc.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

RosettaBooks, a pioneer in digital publishing, has announced The Galaxy Project, a contest to discover science fiction writing talent, in conjunction with its release of new electronic editions of selections from the classic science fiction magazine Galaxy.

The winning writer will be guaranteed e-book publication as part of The Galaxy Project collection, a set of the top novellas that appeared originally in Galaxy, and will also receive a $1,000 advance against royalties of 50% of net receipts to 2,500 copies and 60% of net receipts thereafter for world English digital rights.

Submission deadline is Friday, September 2, 2011.

Founded in 1950 by H.L. Gold, Galaxy was an immediate artistic success and published the notable science fiction writers of its time. Recognized for the acidly satiric, sometimes profoundly comic aspect of its best contributions, Galaxy had a lasting effect not only on science fiction but also on literature overall. Its standard was excellence in writing.

The Galaxy Project judges include Robert Silverberg, author of more than 40 novels and 250 short stories in the genre and winner of the Nebula, Hugo and Locus Awards; David Drake, author of the Hammer’s Slammer series that originated in Galaxy magazine, quickly moved to novel form; and Barry N. Malzberg, whose Beyond Apollo won the first John W. Campbell Memorial Award for the best science fiction novel of the year in 1973.

Manuscripts for novellas and novelettes should be 15,000 to 20,000 words in length.

Authors will retain the copyright and all rights other than the initial digital use. For more information about The Galaxy Project writing contest and for a contest submission form, see here.

RosettaBooks was founded in 2001 by Arthur Klebanoff, wwner and president of the Scott Meredith Literary Agency. Rosetta specializes in re-publishing older, backlist titles in e-book format. Home page here.

To keep up to date with all the annual writing contests in Canada, get the 2011 Canadian Writers' Contest Calendar – now just $13 including tax and shipping (or $10 at any of Brian Henry's workshops or classes). To order your copy, email brianhenry@sympatico.ca More detailshere.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Rights Factory is a boutique agency that deals in intellectual property rights for entertainment products, including books, comics & graphic novels, film, television, and video games. As an international agency, we license rights in every territory. We work directly with publishers, producers, studios, game developers and other rights-buyers in all territories, occasionally in conjunction with local representatives.

The company was founded in 2004 by principal, Sam Hiyate, and partner, Christos Grivas. Since then, several agents and associates have been added our ranks:

Ali McDonald specializes in children's literature of all kinds, ranging from novelty board books, picture books, early readers, and chapter books, to middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction. She enjoys working primarily with debut authors, but also has the distinguished pleasure of co-representing big stars of Canadian literature, including Mariko Tamaki and David Glimour, in their kidlit works. Ali is open to anything, building her list on strong voices with original stories. Query Ali at: alison@therightsfactory.com

Note: Ali will be the guest speaker at "How to Get Published," Saturday, December 3, in Oakville. Details here.

Meaghan McIsaac straddles the adult and children's publishing worlds, with specific interest in fantasy, science fiction, mystery, crime, romance, and other genre literature. Herself an accomplished children's author, Meaghan looks for smart, innovative concepts with tight writing. Having joined The Rights Factory in 2010, Meaghan is looking for talent on which to continue building her list.

Haskell Nussbaum is a lawyer turned writer turned literary agent. He is the author of Beat That Parking Ticket and has contributed articles and stories to the National Post (Canada), Jerusalem Post, Pacific News Service and others, and he has appeared on, or been featured in, national and local news, radio and TV, including Fox and Friends, NPR, NY Post, New York Magazine, USA Today, NY1, CBS, Today in New York, and many others. His list is diverse, ranging from clients on the New York Times Bestseller list to debut authors.

Alisha Sevignyrepresents writers in all genres, across all ages. Her clients include: Karen Wheeler, author of the acclaimed travel narrative and memoir Tout Sweet and sequel Tout Allure; Kristen Ma, beauty revolutionary and author of Beauty: Pure + Simple based on her natural ingredient product line and spa services; and Emily Hunter, environmental activist, journalist and anthologist of The Next Eco-Warriors. Alisha loves discovering stories that contribute positively to our world. Her particular interests lie in lifestyle, memoir, prescriptive, pop culture and sociological literature.

Many readers of Quick Brown Fox will be familiar with Alisha as a guest speaker at Brian Henry's workshops. Alisha is currently on maternity leave.

Drea Cohane joined The Rights Factory in 2011, and has recently been promoted to Associate. With a publishing degree, and several years of writing behind her, Drea is a voracious reader of all genres. She is currently looking to add to her list of authors in memoir, crime, creative non-fiction and literary fiction.
Query Drea at: Drea@therightsfactory.com

Sam Hiyate has an esteemed roster of both fiction and non-fiction writers including Jennifer Close, debut author of the must-read short story collection of the summer, Girls In White Dresses (August 2011 release); Margot Berwin, author of Hot House Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire (optioned by Julia Roberts in conjunction with Columbia Pictures for film rights), and the forthcoming paranormal romance, Aromata.

Among others, Sam also represents Andrew Kaufman, author of such literary works as All My Friends Are Superheroes and The Waterproof Bible; Rupinder Gill, This Hour Has 22 Minutes staff writer and author of the humorous memoir On the Outside Looking Indian; and David Gilmour, multi-award winning author of The Film Club and upcoming The Perfect Order of Things. Sam is always on the lookout for that perfect commercial-literary hybrid and is partial to funny and moving stories.

Brian Henry is leading "How to Get Published" workshops on August 27 in Woodstock, Ontario, (see here), on September 24 in Guelph with guest Monica Pacheco of the Anne McDermid Agency (see here), and on December 3 in Oakville with guest Ali McDonald of The Rights Factory (details here).

Monday, June 20, 2011

The Blank Page Writers' Group presents...Writing for Children & for Young Adults ~ the world's hottest market
Saturday, October 1, 2011
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The Community Room in Your Independent Grocers,
290 First Street N., Gravenhurst, in Muskoka (Map here.)

Whether you want to write the next best-selling children’s books or just want to create stories for your own kids, this workshop is for you. Learn how to write stories kids and young adults will love, and find out what you need to know to sell your book.

Special option: You may, but don't have to, bring 2 or 3 copies of the opening couple pages (first 500 words) of your children’s book or young adult novel. (Or if 1,000 words will get you to the end of your picture book or to the end of your first chapter, bring that.) If you’re not currently working on a children’s story, don’t worry, we’ll get you started on the spot!

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He is also the author of a children’s version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Tribute Publishing Inc).

"Brian’s the real deal. He isn't just an inspiring teacher – he's plugged into the publishing world! He got me an agent who sold my first novel, Bitten, to publishers around the world. Last May, my young adult novel, The Awakening, hit number 1 on the New York Times bestsellers' list. And Random House Canada, Bantam U.S. and Little Brown in Britain have contracted my next seven books. So it looks like I’ll be writing for a while."
~ Kelley Armstrong, Aylmer, Ontario, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Awakening, The Reckoning, The Gathering, and other supernatural thrillers for teens and adults.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Guilt. Depression. Both are powerful emotions – emotions that can do more than paralyze you. Six Meters of Pavement shows how each can consume a life.

Better yet, this novel shows how the will to survive trumps such bleak despair, allowing Ismail and Cecilia, two middle-aged adults of quite different backgrounds, to bloom anew, both reborn back into the world, each fully engaged once more in all the ups and downs of daily life.

This story is set in Toronto. Many Canadian writers have chosen Canadian cites as their locale, so seeing references to identifiable Toronto street names is no longer so unique. What is catching is how Doctor uses the feel and rhythm of these streets to further strengthen the texture of her characters. For this is Doctor’s little gift, her double-double flavour bud for her Canadian audience. If you’ve walked through any Canadian city’s Little Portugal during Lent, Doctor’s descriptions of the area let your ethnic memories percolate to the surface, blending with the already rich aroma of her narrative to make an exceptionally flavourful story come fully alive.

This is especially true in her understanding of the norms and conventions which underpin every ethnic society. Perhaps because of both her clinical and cultural background, Doctor recognizes the subtle social faux pas which are all but invisible to the Canadian-born outsider – faux pas which are actually the thread binding the cultural fabric of an immigrant community.

For example, through her characterization of Cecilia, Doctor helps us understand that it’s not just that Portuguese women wear black once widowed, but it’s how this black becomes a shroud for their mind even more than being a cloak for their body, a shroud which quickly constricts and chokes a caring and intelligent woman such as Cecilia.

With Cecilia and Ismail, Doctor illustrates how these cultural conventions are not only a fertile bed for depression, but how they allow depression to fester into the puss spores of guilt, remorse, and even suicide. Yet just as this story’s winter ever so slowly warms into the welcoming warmth of spring, so too Doctor shows how time can be its own healer, if only given the chance.

That chance is provided by the third major character in the story, Fatima. Fatima is young enough to be the daughter of either Ismail or Cecilia, and bold enough to be the firebomb tossed into Ismail’s life. She sparks off explosions in his relationship with Cecilia, and with both their families. Fatima’s contemporary ideas of “normal” are treated not only as rebellion but as revolution when filtered through the fabric of her Indian community.

Yet surprisingly, these differences ultimately make no difference to Ismail. His desire to help comes not from compassion, but from his own need to heal. In handling Fatima’s twenty-something crisis, Ismail learns that an offered hand can improve not just the person asking for help or the person giving the help. It can also bring out the best in a woman such as Cecilia, simply because Ismail did offer his hand in help.

Farzana Doctor has crafted a rich story of the human spirit, a touching tale. Its charm lies in the lives led by her characters. Its power lies in its depiction of the potential lying latent in all of us until called to action not by compassion, but sometimes, by need.

Although writing is a large part of Tom Cameron’s day job as a project manager, it is his night writing which gives him the most pleasure. Tom is always amazed the way his characters come alive when writing under the moon’s diffuse light. These fictional people quickly develop a mind of their own, twisting down plot turns far more interesting than the dry path his technical writing takes him in the daytime, paths which lead to fascinating places such as China’s concrete plazza Tiananmen Square, Gaza’s town of Beit Hanoun, and Vietnam’s islands of Ha Long Bay.

You can buy Six Metres of Pavement at most bookstores or order it here. Farzana Doctor is represented by Beverley Slopen. For information about submitting to Dundurn Press, see here.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

The Literary Lapses competition is named in
honour of the Stephen Leackock
book of the same name.

﻿﻿﻿ The Mariposa Writers’ Group is seeking submissions for its annual Poetry and Short Story Competitions. Entrants should be commercially unpublished. (i.e., you have not received pay for your writing). Stories and poems may be fiction or nonfiction but should evoke emotion and/or comment in some way on the human condition.

Deadline: July 15, 2011
Stories must not exceed 2,000 words.
Poems must not exceed 1,200 words.
Entry fee: $15.
Prizes for both prose and poetry contest: First place $100, Second place $60, Third place $40, plus two honorable mentions will receive dinner for two at East Side Mario's

Rules for submitting

1. All entries must be typed in 12 pt. on plain 81/2" x 11 " paper, double spaced on one side only.

2. Please include three copies of each entry. Keep your originals. Entries will not be returned.

3. Pages of stories should be stapled. Each page should have the story title and be numbered. For poems, each page should have the poem title and be numbered. Your name may not appear anywhere on the pages of the story or poems being submitted.

Friday, June 17, 2011

The pain jolted through his brain like a bolt of lightning and roused him to consciousness. Or semi-consciousness. Roger was aware only of a dull grey fog and a familiar throbbing in his head. But it was the ache of the bone-chilling dampness that brought him fully awake.

Gingerly lifting his hand to his eyes, Roger scratched away the eye secretions of the night. His left arm felt swollen, unnatural. He peered at the red brick wall looming over his head.

It came back to him. It was January 12th. Yesterday was his 49th birthday. With some satisfaction at having formulated a coherent thought, he lay for a minute to see if the throbbing in his head would dull. The chill in his joints reminded him that sometime during the night, he had rolled off the warm smelly grate that had lulled him to sleep.

Roger had not made it back to the hotel this time. He had indulged himself with a little celebration at a local pub; an act of irony to celebrate the first of many birthdays to be spent alone. With effort, he conjured up a memory of the group of men who had retired to this alley after closing time. Searching further through his mind's fog, he remembered sitting alone, after all the men had left; alone with his bottle. He patted his coat pocket to assure himself that his beloved bottle was with him still. The comforting bulge calmed his momentary panic.

Roger rolled over and slowly rose to his feet. He steadied himself against the wall, until by sheer will power, he could cope with the pounding in his head. There was only one cure for this pain. He lifted the bottle from his pocket and took a quick gulp. The fire in his throat diverted his mind from the pain in his head and he staggered down the alley and onto Hastings Street.

He had choices. Many of the men here did not. He could return to the efficiency room in the rundown hotel that he now called home. Since he had left Marla some three months ago that simple room in a squalid hotel had been his only refuge from the kind of night he had just spent. It was also his ticket to carry on his life in a way that he knew – that they all knew – was not fit. He had been offered many choices in life. There were still more choices to make. Only now the choices were much simpler.

With what remained of his functioning brain cells, Roger noted that his left arm continued to feel swollen and numb. He reflected on the fact that no one would know and no one would care that he had spent the past evening enjoying his beauty sleep in an alley off Hastings Street, in east Vancouver. He was content with that. There was no one to judge. There was no one expecting him to appear at an office, be home at a certain hour, or be present at a child's Christmas concert. There was no one to disappoint. He needed no excuses, no stories, no lies. His life was now a metaphor for his soul. His honesty was absolute.

The practice of law had been a difficult and demanding assignment. Marriage to Marla had been more difficult yet. And when Marla gave birth to the twins, it was simply more than he could bear. A human being's capacity to fail, to deceive, to continually disappoint was, he had discovered, almost limitless.

No more. There was no office to go to and no permission to return home. There were no further expectations. He revelled in his freedom, dulling the memory of the pain he had caused through the one commitment he had lovingly maintained.

Again, Roger patted his pocket as he turned from Hastings and headed toward the water. He hoped the brisk, wet air might revive him. After some minutes of disjointed movement towards his destination, Roger found a bench overlooking the inlet. Dropping his head to his chest, he closed his eyes to rest from the exertion of his walk.

Although resting, Roger did not fall back to sleep and eventually became aware of another presence. It had to be very early morning on this chilly day. Hastings had been deserted. When he had sat down, there had been no sign of life in either direction along the waterfront. But the sense of another presence was strong, so he opened his eyes. A young boy stood some distance away but directly in front of him. Roger gazed at this apparition with some irritation.

The boy – who looked to be about six or seven – had his back to Roger, looking towards the water. He wore a thin blue jacket and, amazingly, a red scarf and blue cap. Blond curls escaped from his cap and hung haphazardly to his shoulders. Roger was not so far removed from the society of children that he did not recognize that no self-respecting young Vancouver boy would be wearing a red scarf or a cap of any description. His irritation turned to curiosity. He became aware of some deep emotional response welling up from the abyss of his psyche. It felt akin to the protective love he had felt, from time to time, towards his own boys. Roger pulled out his bottle and stilled this bubble of feeling with some of his helpful anesthetic.

The boy suddenly turned and gazed solemnly back at Roger. Without fully understanding why, Roger gestured for the boy to come and sit with him, fully expecting the boy to run in terror from the sight of a smelly old drunk. Strangely, the boy approached and sat some distance from Roger on the bench. The two stared silently at the foaming, frothing water.

"I'm on my way to school," the boy said eventually. "But it’s too early. My mom wanted me to go anyway," he added.

Roger nodded, and took another drink. He noticed that the boy's clothes had holes and the thin jacket afforded little protection from the chill January sea breeze.

"Do you believe in Santa?" asked the boy.

This question startled Roger. He had not been confronted with this question since his own childhood. His own boys had been too young or too self-interested to care whether Santa existed. Roger could only look at the boy.

"I asked Santa for a piano this year. But it was too big for him to carry. So he brought me this instead." The boy pulled a white recorder from his pocket. "I have music today at school, and I’m going to play my recorder. Would you like to hear me play?"

Roger thought for a moment. He was a bit worried that someone might come looking for the boy and some frantic, hysterical parent would accuse him of some loathsome act. Jail was not yet an experience that Roger coveted.

Roger shifted to the far end of the bench and looked back at the boy. "Sure," he said, "Why not?"

The boy began to play. To Roger's complete astonishment, the sound was clear, the notes played cleanly, the music soft and beautiful. The tune was vaguely familiar. Gradually it came to Roger that he had played the same song on the piano when he was a boy. He had loved the song. It spoke of dreams and feelings and flying to a place where troubles melted away. He had been looking for just such a place all his life. And he had loved the piano. He had been good enough and there had been ample opportunity to explore this passion further, but when his father pressed him to give up on such a trivial, unprofitable pursuit, Roger had made the sensible choice.

The boy continued to play. Roger closed his eyes and dropped his head to his chest, listening. For the second time that day, a wave of feeling rose up from the pit of his stomach and trickled through his empty spaces. Though hard to identify, it occurred to him that he was feeling joy.

Roger smiled. His mind emptied and he drifted with the cadence of the song. The sound slowly transformed into the silver trill of a songbird. As he watched the bird in his mind's eye, warmth enveloped him, pushing out the hurt and pain that had been his companions for as long as he could remember. The boy played on.

When Marla got the call, they advised her that it had been a massive heart attack. But it had not been in a gutter in the East End as Marla had always feared. They had found him on a bench, by the water, lying down. Strangely, he had a smile on his face. More strangely still, he clutched a white child's recorder in his hands.

Susan Rogers is a lawyer based in Mississauga, who has been practicing for more than 30 years and thus has been writing all her life. She is currently exploring her passion for writing fiction. She is happily married and has two children, who she believes are wildly successful, having overcome considerable handicaps early in life in the form of their parents.

Meredith Barnes is an associate agent at Lowenstein Associates as well as Digital Strategist and Subsidiary Rights Manager. She is building her list, and is especially interested in blog-to-book projects and projects dealing with alternative lifestyles and social issues. If your topic could have been ripped from a Vulture headline, it’s probably for her. She runs a blog and she also tweets.

She is seeking: a wide range of engaging fiction for all ages, including literary fiction, women’s fiction, thrillers and crime. She is open to science fiction and fantasy that has something new to offer the genres. Ender's Game is her favorite book, so we’ll leave it at that. She does not represent early readers or children’s picture books.

For nonfiction, she is extremely interested in health, fitness, and spirituality nonfiction with a strong author platform and online presence. For both nonfiction and fiction, Meredith considers more than just the print possibilities. Projects that lend themselves to apps, enhanced ebooks, and other fresh ways to tell stories are especially appealing.

Query Meredith at: assistant@bookhaven.com
For fiction, send a one-page query letter, along with the first 10 pages pasted in the body of the message.
For nonfiction, send a query letter and table of contents pasted in the body of your e-mail. Be sure to detail your platform and link me to any sites you want me to see (Twitter, Facebook, website, blog). If you have a proposal ready, paste that into the body of the e-mail, too.
Put the word QUERY and the title of your project in the subject field of your e-mail. Do not send attachments.

Barbara Lowenstein, the founder and senior agent at Lowenstein Associates, is currently looking for writers who have a strong platform and are leading experts in their field, including business, women’s issues, psychology, health, science and social issues, and is particularly interested in strong new voices in fiction and narrative nonfiction. More about Barbar Lowenstein here.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Hey, Brian.
My short story, “The Dark Side of Serendipity,” has been published on the Jersey Devil Press site. This was a story I'd worked on in your Extreme Writing class, so I think the ladies might get a kick out of seeing it in print. You can read “The Dark Side of Serendipity,” in the Brilliant Disguise category, and also my headline on the cover (home) page.

Thank you for the support and networking opportunities you give to writers. Have a great day!

Denise Willson
Author of A Keeper’s Truth

You can read Denise’s story here.
For information about submitting to Jersey Devil, see here.

Hello, Brian.
I opened my copy of Writers' Journal this afternoon to discover that my story, "Officially Old" had won Third Prize in the Writer's Journal annual fiction short story (under 5,000 words) contest. Along with publication in the July/August issue it comes with a cheque for $100 US. I think I might frame the photocopy of my first payment for writing. My cheque, hopefully, is in the mail!

The story is a decidedly tongue-in-cheek look at turning sixty five and at the perils of having a wife who views retirement differently from oneself - to which I can personally attest as the story is not entirely fiction...

In Common (Canada) celebrates the human experience by exploring elements and objects shared across cultures. Available as an iPad app, each issue features stories, photographs, games, and resources that relate to a single theme/object/idea. Now seeking positive, engaging nonfiction stories (500 - 2000 words) for "In Common: Shoes".

Deadline: 12 noon on July 1, 2011.

In Common welcomes original essays and personal narratives. We look for positive, engaging nonfiction stories that invite the audience to explore new cultures, countries and places. We prefer well-researched, unsentimental and non-judgmental pieces, and we ask that all essays directly relate to the theme of an issue.

Photographs
In Common invites photographers to send us between 3 and 10 photographs relating to the current theme. We like friendly, thought-provoking, and amusing pictures that show how the theme is used or interpreted in a region or culture.

Submissions
Please attach your document (.doc or .rtf) or photos (.jpg) to an email and write “Submission: (Theme) Article” in the subject line. In the body of your email, please include your name, address, and a 50-word biography. Send your email to submissions@foxandbee.com

Payment
As compensation, authors and photographers whose work has been accepted for In Common will receive a copy of the iPad app in which their work appears. Or, if they prefer, we will contribute a $5 donation towards a Kiva loan.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Hello Brian,
My new book, Canadians at War: A Guide to the Battlefields of World War I, has been released by Goose Lane Editions. The book is a history of the Canadians in World War One, plus a guidebook to the battlefields and Commonwealth War Grave Commission cemeteries in France and Flanders.

The book has beautiful colour photographs of the battlefields and burial grounds as they look today accompanied by modern maps and the famous Nicholson maps of the battles.

This is my second published work of nonfiction. The first was Heritage Treasures (James Lorimer & Company), about the old houses of Hamilton and Region, in collaboration with photographer Jean Crankshaw who contributed many photographs to this new work.

As a former participant in your workshops, I am grateful for the guidance I received and the skills I acquired. Because my grandfather was killed in the Great War, this was a very personal odyssey as well as a challenge, based in my lack of knowledge about the war.

Research was a matter of starting from scratch and slowly coming to understand events clearly enough to tell the story. I hope I have succeeded.

All the best,Susan Evans Shaw
Hamilton, Ontario

For more information about Canadian at War: A Guide to the Battlefields of World War I or to purchase a copy, see here. For more about Heritage Treasures, see here.
For information about submitting to Goose Lane Editions, see here. For information about submitting childrens' books to James Lorimer & Company, seehere.

I'm leading "How to Get Published" workshops on August 27 in Woodstock, Ontario, (see here) and on September 24 in Guelph with guest Monica Pacheco of the Anne McDermid literary agency. Monica specializes in representing middle grade and YA authors (see here.)

Hey, Brian, it’s Portia.
I know this is a little late but any help you could bring to promoting The Pink Ink Zine launch would be incredible. The Facebook page is here. Description’s below.
Thank you so much,Portia Thorne

Supporting Our Youth and Art Gallery of Ontario Youth Council PresentsThe Pink Ink Zine launch
with a showcase of SOY arts based initiatives by queer, trans, and two spirits youth, including dance, photographcy and art, with special guest Ill Nana and DiverseCity Dance Company, and DJs Mayhem and Masarap

Brian Henry has been a book editor, writer, and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He teaches creative writing at Ryerson University. He also leads weekly creative writing courses in Burlington, Mississauga, Oakville and Georgetown and conducts Saturday workshops throughout Ontario. His proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.